Means for holding range top covers in open and closed positions



A. MOECKER July 19, 1938.

MEANS FOR HOLDING RANGE TOP COVERS IN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS Filed Nov. 18, 1937 Patented M 19, 1938 UNITED STATES MEANS FOR HOLDING RANGE TOP COVERS IN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS Arnold Moecker, Homewood, lll., assignor to American Stove Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of'New Jersey Application November 18, 1937, Serial No. 175,330

'7 Claims. 1 (Cl. 12621'il) This invention relates to means for holding range top covers in open and closed positions, and the present invention pertains to the construction which 'will be presently described.

Cover tops for ranges have their rear edges suitably hinged to the rear edge of the top of the range, whereby the cover can be swung to open and closed positions in respect to the range top, and the object of this improvement is to hold the cover tightly when it is closed, and to hold the cover securely in an upright position when it is opened or raised.

, A further object of the present improvement pertains to the simpleand effective specific con- 'struction of said holding means whereby the above results are accomplished.

In the drawing: i

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of a range top showing the hinged cover in a raised position.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and showing the range cover held in a raised position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional"view'similar to Fig. 2 except the cover is shown in its closed position.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the two main parts which constitute the present improvement.

The top'l of the range shown in Figs. 1 to 3 is provided as usual with the cooking top openings 2. The swinging cover 3 is shown in its upright position in Figs. 1 and 2 and it has its lower end 4 suitably hinged or pivotally connected at 5 with the rear edge of the range top I.

The range top as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 is provided near each side thereof with vertical openings 6 through which openings the connecting arms project. The upper ends of these arms I are pivoted at 8 to-the opposite edges of the said cover 3. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the lower ends 9 of the arms 1 are pivotally connected. with the movable portion or free end of one of the essential members which comprise the present improvement. This improvement consists of the two U-shaped members ill and II. The lower end 3 of the arms 1 are pivotally connected with the free end of the movable part or portion ill. The movable part ill has its leg portions l2 telescoping the leg portions i3 01 the part II. Said part H is a stationary member while the part. i is a movable member.

There are a pair of parts l0 and II located under the opposite sides of the top of the range.

The arms I located at opposite edges of the cover 3 have their ends pivotally connected with ears H which project from the outer or free ends of the movable members ill. The inner ends of the legs I! of the movable member ID are bifurcated, that is, they are provided with two ears or arms l which extend parallel with each other and these arms embrace outwardly extending flanges 16 which are formed in the leg or arm portions 13. of the stationary member ll. Said stationary member II is attached to the under side of the range top I by means of screws ll which pass through the said range top into the central portion iii of the U-shaped member II. By means of the above constructions of the parts I!) and II the two parts are adapted to be readily separated and to be readily placed in operative positions by simply telescoping the arms l3 of the stationary member II with the arms I! of the movable member and the ears or arms l5 embracing the flanges Hi. This construction can of course be reversed, that is, the ends of the arms of the movable portion l0 may be provided with inwardly extending flanges (not shown) which flanges would enter an open bifurcated portion (not shown) like the flanges Hi. This is merely a reversal of this pivotal arrangement. A contracting spring i9 has one end connected with an inturned lip 20 and its opposite end connected with an inturned lip 2| whereby the free end of the member I0 is drawn upwardly by the spring and the upward movement of the movable portion is limited by outwardly extending lips 22 which are formed on the arms l3 at that end toward the closed end of the U-shaped member ID and these lips engage the arms l2 of the member ID. This limits, as stated, the upward movement of the movable member ID. These lips are preferably formed some distance below the central portion I8 of the member H in order to hold the movable part in proper operative position. be understood that other means (not shown) could be provided for stoppingthe movement of the member l0 under the action of the spring. By having the form of stop as here shown the lower end 9 of the arms i never rise above the top of the range.

It will be observed that this construction for holding the cover 3 in its upward position and for holding the said cover 3 in its lowered position is accomplished by the fact that when the cover 3 is in its upward position the member I0 is at the left hand side, or the side nearest the said cover, of the pivotal point or flange l6, while when the cover 3 is lowered the pivoted end 9 of the arms 1 are carried downward substantially to the right of the pivotal flange I6.

. Owing to this arrangement of the parts the spring i9 constantly holds the cover 3 in its upright position and constantly holds the cover 3 in its lowered position. 'This of course means that the operator would have to move the cover 3 downward until the members reach substantially the position shown in Fig. 3 and when the cover is to be opened it is necessary for the operator to lift upward on the cover and cause the shifting of the pivotal point of the lever l to the left Of course it will" of the flange or pivotal point It when the cover is carried and securely held in its upward position.

It is desirable that the cover be held tightly when it is lowered or in its closed position and it is also desirable that the cover after it is lifted be held in its upright position. The device which is herein described effectively performs the above functions.

It will further be observed that the essential parts for holding the cover in its open and its closed positions consists of the two parts l0 and II and its spring. of course it is necessary that there be connection between the cover 3 and the movable part III and that connection as is here shown consists of the arms 1.

While I show the arms 1 applied at opposite edges of the cover and also show the operating mechanism at each side of the top of the range it will be understood that only one of these arms and operating mechanisms are necessary to carry out the functions above set forth.

Attention is further directed to the fact that the U-shaped portions ll when they are attached to the top of the range, are arranged in a position which places the U-shaped members at right angles to the cover 3.

I wish it understood that the foregoing described constructions can be varied without departing from the present invention so long as the variations come within a liberal interpretation of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device for holding a range cover closed and for securely holding it in an open position, comprising a range having a top portion, a support depending from said top portion and immovably connected therewith, a movable portion having one end pivotally connected with said support and extending upward and its opposite end movable to opposite sides of said pivot and means acting to cause the movable portion to swing to opposite sides of said pivot, and means operatively connecting said movable portion and said cover.

2. In a device for holding a range cover in either an open or a closed position, comprising a range having a top portion, a cover for said top portion, a support depending from said top portion and immovably connected therewith, a movable portion having one end pivotally connected with the lower portion of said support and its opposite end movable to opposite sides of said pivot, means passing upward through said top and operatively connecting the said movable part with said cover, and a spring operatively acting to swing said movable portion to opposite sides of said pivot whereby said cover is held in either a closed or an open position.

3. In a device for holding a cover of a range in either an open or a closed position, comprising a range having a top portion, a cover for said top portion, a support depending from said top portion and immovably connected therewith, a movable portion having one end pivotaliy connected with said support and its opposite end movable to opposite sides of said pivot, and means passing through said top portion and connecting the free end of said movable portion to said cover and a spring having one end operatively connected with said support and its opposite end operatively connected with the outer end of said movable portion.

4. In a device for holding a cover of a range in either an open or a closed position and securely holding it in either position, comprising two essentially U-shaped telescoping main portions, one

of said U-shaped portions inverted and having its central portion attached to the said top portion of the range, and the arms of the U depending from said top portion, the free ends of a second and movable U-shaped portion telescoping the ends of the first said portion, the ends of said portions pivotally connected, a cover for the range, means operatively connecting said cover and said movable portion the ends of said portions pivotally connected, and a spring acting to swing the said movable portion to opposite sides of said pivot, the parts arranged for the purpose set forth.

5. In a device for holding a cover of a range in either an open or a closed position, comprising a range having a .top portion, two U-shaped members one of said members depending from the top portion and secured to it and forming a support, a second U-shaped member having its ends telescoping the ends of the said support, a contracting spring operatively connecting the said two U-shaped portions, said telescoping portions pivoted together, a cover for the range, a member operatively connecting the free end of the movable portion to the said cover, said member constructed and operating to shift the pivotal point of said movable portion and said member to opposite sides of the pivotal point of the U-shaped portions when said cover is in its open and closed positions, for the purpose set forth.

6. In a device for holding the cover of a range in either an open or a closed position, comprising a range having a top portion, a cover pivotally connected with said top portion; two U- shaped members located below the top portion one of said members connected with the top portion and forming a support and the other forming a movable member the arms of the two members telescoping and pivoted together, the arms of one of said members being bifurcated and embracing the pivotal point of the said members, an operative connection between the movable member and the cover being such as to cause the movable member to shift the pivotal point of the arm connected with the saidcover to opposite sides of the pivotal point of the arms of the U-shaped member, for the purpose set forth.

7. An operating means for holding a range cover in either an open upright or a horizontal closed position consisting of a range having a top portion, two U-shaped members below the top portion one of said members attached to the under side of the top of the range and forming a support and the other U-shaped member hav-- ing its arms telescoping the arms of said support, the arms of one of said members embracing a pivotal point on the other of said members and a contracting spring acting to hold said arms in engagement with the pivotal point, said spring acting to hold the second member in a position to hold the cover upright or to hold the cover closed when the pivotal point of the connection of the movable member with the said cover is shifted from side to side of the pivotal connection of the arms of the said U-shaped members. ARNOLD MOECKER. 

